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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Confirm design brief of new product
   • Communicate with customer and other key stakeholders and agree on technical specification, aesthetic requirements, timelines, cost and other market requirements
   • Determine regulatory/industry code/intellectual property requirements for product
   • Identify possible tooling/process/equipment needs
   • Develop design brief, including relevant drawings, to meet needs
   • Obtain sign-off on total design brief from all relevant persons
2. Determine material requirements for product
   • Select base polymer grade/polymer blend or range of polymers/grades for evaluation
   • Select types of reinforcement and other additives needed
   • Determine material testing and evaluation regime required to meet product end use requirements, including regulatory/industry code requirements
   • Arrange for compounding, testing and evaluation of trial materials
   • Interpret material trial results and guide material trial process
   • Determine final materials specification
3. Determine process requirements for product
   • Select process to make product to meet requirements
   • Determine any special process/equipment requirements for the product
   • Communicate with production personnel to determine their concerns and/or special needs
4. Ensure process needs for new product have been met
   • Liaise with tool/die/mould/equipment design/procurement personnel
   • Interpret hardware specifications and ensure they are appropriate for the job required
   • Liaise with process personnel to ensure appropriate draft procedures for new product have been developed
5. Trial new product through the process
   • Design trialling procedure to deliver required information
   • Ensure health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements are stringently observed
   • Coordinate the trialling of the new product
   • Interpret product trial results and guide product trial process
   • Tune process to optimise production of new product
6. Determine process capability
   • Plot appropriate statistical process control charts
   • Determine 3-sigma confidence limits
   • Compare confidence limits with product specification
7. Coordinate product trials
   • Determine product testing and evaluation regime required to meet end use requirements, including regulatory/industry code requirements
   • Arrange for testing and evaluation of trial product/prototype
   • Interpret product trial results and guide product trial process
   • Determine final product specification
   • Make required changes to materials, process and equipment
8. Implement standard procedures for new product
   • Monitor initial production and adjust process, conditions and materials to make the process a smooth operation
   • Ensure process specifications reflect the optimised operation developed
   • Ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) are correct for the new product
   • Ensure equipment and other hardware records are updated to reflect additions/changes
   • Ensure project records are complete and all required reports have been completed and submitted
   • Archive records according to company procedure

Range Statement

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Regulatory framework	The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used. Applicable legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice include: HSE legislation, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace, materials and processes being used and products being made Australian/international standards relevant to the materials being used and products being made any relevant licence and certification requirements. All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent HSE requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and such requirements the legislative requirements take precedence.
Procedures	All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, and include one or any combination of: test procedures technical specifications technical drawings emergency procedures work instructions SOPs safe work method statements (SWMS) formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.

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Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and demonstrate the ability to:

read and interpret test results, technical information, equipment specifications and instruments/control panels

determine product specifications and business and market requirements

develop design brief and drawings that balances product specifications, business and market requirements, regulatory requirements, and technical and process issues

select and trial materials and determine final materials specifications

liaise with the relevant personnel to determine production process and ensure tooling design and manufacture and equipment modification is correct

design and coordinate trialling of new product

interpret trialling results and make adjustments to optimise process and determine final specifications

determine process capability

communicate technical information verbally and in writing

communicate at all levels about technical issues and bring agreement as to requirements from the different parties

ensure final product modifications and procedures are documented and resources are available for implementation

calculate and interpret cost estimates, market analysis data, test results, trialling data, product formulae and process conditions.

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Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job sufficient to fulfil their job role, including knowledge of:

impact of different polymer materials, their additives and the rheological, heat and other effects of processing on design of a new product

major polymer types and common additives (including reinforcing) and their suitability for different applications

all standard processes and their suitability for different product/market applications

material and product testing procedures

the impact of the polymerisation process on the polymer process

principles of operation of all relevant equipment and processes

effects of variations in process, conditions and materials on optimisation and final properties of the product

miscibility and solubility effects and phase separation/single phase processing

organisation procedures relevant to the work environment/job role

hierarchy of control

hazards that may arise in the job/work environment and:

their possible causes

potential consequences

appropriate risk controls.

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